Gasoline additives, such as methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE) gained significance in recent years. They help to boost octane ratings of gasoline within the use of organometallic or other environmentally unacceptable additives such as carcinogenic aromatics.
Standard methods for the preparation of ethers include dehydration of alcohols (with sulfuric acid or other acid catalysts, such as p-toluenesulfonic acid) reaction of sodium or potassium alcoholates with alkyl (aryl) halides (the so-called Williamson synthesis), or in the case of reactive halides (such as triphenylmethyl chloride), their reaction with alcohols in the presence of pyridine or other bases.